Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
After losing last week vs. the Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson remains the MVP frontrunner after clipping the Atlanta Falcons.
The Seattle Seahawks were riding high last week at 5-1 but played arguably their worst game of the season at home versus the Baltimore Ravens. Losing at home in the Pacific Northwest is never a good thing, but it might have realigned the focus for Seattle to take care of business across the country vs. the struggling Atlanta Falcons.
Seattle crushed Atlanta in the first half and held on in the second half to improve to 6-2 on the season. As long as the Seahawks keep winning, Seattle starting quarterback Russell Wilson will remain in the NFL MVP conversation. Through eight weeks, Wilson is still the frontrunner to win NFL MVP, playing well against a terrible Atlanta team when his team needed him the most.
Wilson completed 14-of-20 passes for 182 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He averaged a strong 9.1 yards per passing attempt and boasted an excellent quarterback rating of 131.7 in the Seahawks’ latest win. He also had two carries for six yards on the ground.
While the Seahawks did get Atlanta’s best effort in the second half, Wilson played with great composure to lead his team to victory. Wilson had no issues leaning on his running backs in Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny throughout the late October afternoon in Atlanta. He did spread the ball around well with Tyler Lockett as his favorite target, finding D.K. Metcalf in the end zone twice.
This may not have been a banner day for Wilson in terms of his fantasy football stats, but provided the Seahawks with a performance that only an MVP can deliver. To lose at home on the road against a fellow playoff contender to then travel across the country to face the most desperate team in football and get a W, no matter how certain it felt, is what MVP players do for their team.
Seattle will host another down NFC South team in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next week before a huge road test against the division rival San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara on Monday Night Football in Week 10. With a win over Tampa Bay, the Seahawks will stand a very real chance at being the best tea in the NFC West with a win in primetime over the 49ers in two weeks.